Dear Brother
by NoShameHere
Summary: When a life is suddenly taken from the Flynn-Fletcher household, it seems as though all the happiness had been sucked out of life itself, particularly for the remaining brother. But when his dead brother starts visiting him, his own life is put at stake.
1. Prologue

The Rain came down in heavy drops, the sky grey and mournful. A fitting tribute, on this day, from Mother Nature herself. The surrounding people stood around the hole in the ground, as the casket, only about four feet tall, was lowered inside. There were the quiet sobs coming from those around it all. Everyone was crying under their umbrellas, but for one boy.

The boy only stood there, stock still, eyes still held traces of sadness and disbelief, the rain running down his face, matting his hair to his forehead, his harm twitching once. He hadn't even spoken since the was no way this could be happening. It was impossible. The boy started as there was a louder sob from his mother behind him, and then it got quiet again. Finally, they were all asked if someone would like to say a few words. The boy took a step forward.

"My name… "His voice was a quiet whisper that was barely understood. "is Ferb Fletcher… and I was there when my brother died..."

**-PnF-**

_"Hey Ferb, will you hand me that wrench?" Phineas asked, grinning, as they were working on their latest project. Ferb nodded, handing Phineas the wrench. What were they working on today? No big project exactly, simply a place to keep all of their invention plans, as they were really piling up. They had decided to use their old tree house, so now the two were precariously perched on outstretched limbs, with power tools. For any ordinary boys their age, this would have been deemed much too dangerous. They, however, were far from ordinary._

_"How's your side going, Ferb?" Phin asked, delightedly. He was always so cheery. Ferb nodded contently, to signify that things were going well. Phineas smiled wider. "Great, and the others should be over soon to help us load up all our stuff. If we're lucky, Ferb, we may even be able to fit in another project today!" He said excitedly. Ferb nodded, grinning inwardly. So much energy; He never did understand how he could hold it all. _

_"Oh, Ferb, will you toss me that hammer?" Phineas asked holding out his hand. Ferb grabbed the hammer and tossed it to Phineas a little rougher than intended, causing it to land a few feet from the boy, lodging itself in a branch. Ferb grinned sheepishly, and Phineas chuckled._

_"That's okay, at least it didn't land in the road." He said, looking down below him. He tugged his safety harness a little. "Hold on, I'll get it." Phin said, crawling along the branch. Suddenly he was jerked back, and he peered behind him. "Oh, the harness is too short. Hold on Ferb, lemme just slip out of here a minute." He said, smiling as he fiddled with the clip. Ferb cleared his throat, expressing his concern. Phineas smiled._

_"It's alright, the branch is sturdy, see." He said, getting up and jumping up and down on the branch. It stayed where it was, and Ferb nodded his approval. Phineas smiled yet again, releasing the clip and sliding his arms from the harness. Slowly and carefully he crawled along the branch, peering down at the road beneath him every so often. Finally he reached the hammer. He turned back, smiling brightly._

_"See Ferb, it's all good!" …Then something happened. It has started as a low rumble, but steadily grew, and the boys' eyes went wide with realization._

_"EARTHQUAKE!" Phineas screamed, as he slipped from the branch, arms clinging to the limb for dear life. Ferb lunged forward to help his brother but found himself falling from the tree, harness jerking him harshly._

_"Phin!" Ferb cried as his brother fell from the branch no longer able to hang on, hitting the street below. There was a sickening crack that was heard over all the noise, and Ferb heard his brother cry out in pain. Then slowly the shaking stopped, and everything was still. Including Phineas. _

_"Phin?" Ferb mumbled, staring down at his brother, how was lying fetal position in the middle of the street. "Phin!" He shouted, panic creeping into his voice…_

_"Ferb…" Phineas moaned, turning his head. Then he wailed loudly. "OW! Ow, Ferb, it's broken!" Ferb, upon hearing his brother's own pained and panicked voice, quickly unlatched his safety harness, the cord ziplining it back into the tree, and ran to the fence's entrance perpendicular to the tree. It was about that moment that everyone else came back out of the house._

_"Boys! Boys are you okay!" Linda cried. Her response was a worried look from Ferb, who stood at the gate, and a cry of pain from her youngest son._

_"Mom!" Phineas cried out in agony. Linda, Laurence, and Candace simultaneously gasped, running out of the yard. The group of four stopped, once reaching the road and looked down the street to Phineas, who was curled up, clutching his leg. Ferb started running down the street, and the others, still in shock, followed a few moments afterwards. Ferb was nearly halfway there, when they all heard screeching, and the smell of burnt rubber assaulted their senses. Dark blue truck, dented immensely on the roof of the cab, was waving its way down the street, the driver obviously had been incapacitated. Phineas realized this, seconds before the others, and screamed._

_"I can't move! Guys, help me!" Phineas struggled to move himself from the swerving vehicle's path, but neither of his legs would move, making him too slow._

_Ferb gasped, as he realized what was happening, and sped up his pace. So close! But so what the truck. Ferb was only feet from Phineas, and time seemed to slow down. Neighbors had come out of their homes, hearing the commotion, including Isabella. He was pretty sure she was screaming as her mother grabbed her and turned her away. He was pretty sure all the neighbors were shouting… but he couldn't hear a thing. His focus was Phineas and Phineas only. And right now, Phineas was eerily calm. He turned to face his brother, realizing the Ferb would be too late, and his expression said it all. He was ready for his next big adventure._

_"Ferb…" Phineas said peacefully, "I know what I'm going to do today."_

_Then there was a sickening thwack, and Ferb felt warmth spatter his face and outstretched hand. No one moved, and it seemed as if the world itself went silent. He felt sick, and he knew he was going to be. His knees trembled and gave out, dropping him on all fours, leaning over the body of his dead brother, and he let out a strangled sob. His head was covered in blood, and his legs were twisted in an unnatural manner… but his face was so peaceful… Peaceful, nonviolent, sees the best in everything Flynn. Why? What had Phineas done to deserve this? Ferb reached out a shaky hand, and held his brother's face._

_"Oh Phineas… No… _NO!_"_


	2. The Cemetery

Ferb couldn't sleep that night. He hadn't been able to sleep ever since... but this night was worse. He made people cry at the funeral... he hadn't intended to... he just... he wanted someone to know what he was going through. Him and Phin, they were the perfect brothers- closer than blood brothers even. If they ever fought, it was so rare it was almost nonexistent. It's like his heart just got ripped out more and more each day. Slowly Ferb closed his eyes.

_He didn't know where he was. The room, or so he supposed it was a room, was nothing but black. He could feel solid beneath his feat, but there was no sign of walls, a ceiling, or a floor. He could see, nothing, but he could see himself, and everything was dead quite. That is, until he heard someone speak._

_"Why didn't you help me?" The voice was quiet and raspy, with a tone of desperation and sadness. Ferb turned around to face his brother. "Why didn't you help me, Ferb?" Phin's eyes were coal black, and his hair was matted, face covered in blood and dirt, legs bent in unnatural levels. Ferb's heart sped up at a rapid pace, as this nightmarish vision of his brother took a step forward, and he began to get sick, hearing a small crunch with every step his brother took, the broken bones grinding._

_"You were right there, Ferb... You were right there, why didn't you save me?" Ferb tried to move as Phineas reached out to pale hands, thin fingers outstretched. "We're brothers Ferb, family. Don't you love your family? Didn't you love me enough to save me? Don't you care about me? Why didn't you save me Ferb? Why didn't you save me Ferb? Ferb, why didn't you save me? Why didn't you save me? WHY DIDN'T YOU SAVE_ _ME!_"

Ferb's eyes flew open as a startled scream escaped his mouth. Breathing heavily, with aching lungs, he took in his surroundings. The air was moist and cold. He was outside... at the cemetery. He'd never sleepwalked before... but even had he been awake, he was sure this is where he would have ended up anyhow... With tired eyes, Ferb looked down at the gravestone in front of him.

Phineas Flynn  
>Carpe Diem<p>

Such simple words, but they seemed to capture everything about his brother... Ferb began to feel weaker and weaker, the more he thought about it, and he looked up at the sky to find it was beginning to rain. Such dramatics never made him feel better. Finally he let his knees give out, and landed on all fours. He forced his shaky arms to move over the freshly laid dirt and mud as he crawled over and gently laid himself atop his brother's grave.

"Never again... I'll never leave your side again Phineas." And it was there he let himself fall asleep without tortuous dreams.

-PnF-

"Mooooooom!' Candace's shout was heard as she leaped down the stairs. "Mom! Ferb's gone!" She cried, landing in the kitchen, leaping over the last few steps. Linda's eyes widened and she gasped, looking to her husband, Lawrence, who looked momentarily surprised, before he spoke.

"The cemetery. He's probably there, we need to go pick him up, there's no telling how long he's been gone." He said, dropping everything he was doing, and picking up the keys. The other two followed him quickly out to the car, as they sped away. Moment's later there was a small beeping noise, and their left alone pet platypus loke down at his watch.

The Flynn-Fletcher family got out of the car and jogged into the cemetery. The morning ground was wet with dew and rain from the night before, making a rather marshy and mudy landscape. The group soon caught sight of a figure lying on the ground over a freshly dug grave.

"Ferb!" The three rushed over to the boy, who lay stone still on the ground in front of them, curled into a ball as a result of the cold wet night. Lawrence, with heartbroken eyes, reached down and nudged his son. Ferb's eyes opened slowly, and he looked at his family with half lidded eyes.

"Son, come on. We need to get you home and into some dry clothes." Lawrence said, starting to help Ferb up

"No." The three looked down, surprised, at Ferb's mumbled reply. "I said I wouldn't leave... I can't leave him here." Ferb's voice was a whisper, and he was clearly getting sick. Linda grabbed his shoulders and stroked them gently.

"Ferb, please, come on honey, you're going to get sick." She begged. Ferb shook his head, his eyes shut tight.

"No-" His voice was a high pitched squeak. "No, I promised!" Ferb was starting to panic as the three tried to pry him away from the tomb stone. They didn't want to do this, but it just wasn't good for him. He began to struggle

"No! No! No-" The three stopped, startled, when Ferb gasped, suddenly still. The four were quiet as Ferb stared down at his hand. After a moment Ferb looked up and spoke.

"I'm ready to go."


	3. Phineas and Doof

WARNING: I am about to pull one of the most cliche PnF plot line pieces ever. But I wanted to do it, and it's my decision, not yours... Either way, for those who still will like my story, enjoy. :D Though it is a bit short. :P

**PnF**

Linda, Lawrence, and Candace stood outside the hospital room, talking to the doctor.

"So far he's fine;It's nothing more than a bad cold. Just keep giving him the medicine we prescribed, and let him get plenty of rest." The doctor paused a moment before continuing. "And, a lot of support emotionally as well. Uncommon sleepwalking is a sign of extreme emotional distress." He said, nodding with respect, as everyone knew what had happened. Linda and Lawrence nodded in response, when they were all interrupted by Candace.

"Guys, I think there' something wrong with Ferb." She said, her voice worried. The three turned and quickly walked over to look in the window to his room. Ferb was facing away from the door, but they could still see his expression. Misery? Anguish? Pain? No. Ferb sat in the hospital bed, staring intently at the corner, looking like the happiest boy in the world. The four looked at each other, then Linda, Lawrence, and Candace walked into the room, while Ferb was in the middle of a sentence.

"-I was thinking gold leafed steel. Sturdier, and it's much easier to restore."

"Ferb, honey?" Linda asked cautiously. Ferb looked at her. He looked tired, with dark circles under his eyes, but happy none the less. She continued. "Who... Who are you talking to?" He smiled and gave a response that shocked them.

"Phineas."

**PnF**

Perry kicked the door down off it's hinges, as he burst into Doof's apartment. To say he was seething in rage would be an understatement. This was all his fault after all. Him and his accursed earthquake-inator! He stomped towards the doctor, whom was currently in a chair facing the other direction, with his fists clench, gritting teeth, and shoulders tense. He sucked in a breath and raised his arm, fist constricted and jaw set... then he froze. Doofenshmirtz, was he... was he crying? Perry's arm lowered and he became less tense as he studied the doctor, who had yet to notice him.

His head hung low, his hands grasped his own arms, and his shoulders were shaking as he stared strait forward. Perry followed his gaze. His shoulders fell as he realized what it was. It was Phineas's tribute that had appeared on the new's, live from his funeral. At this moment in the video Ferb was just finishing his tale. Isabella had already run off, Linda was in tears as was Lawrence, and Ferb himself seemed ready to collapse. The camera zoomed in on Linda, the reporter saying something about a grieving mother, when the TV was paused. Doof stared for a moment, then rewound the whole thing to the beginning and started watching it again.

_"We're coming from the funeral of young Phineas Flynn, a ten year old boy who was the only death in this recent Danville earthquake._ _Reports say__ the earthquake had knocked the young boy from a tree in his back yard, severely injuring his spine. A driver soon after hit the boy with his truck, having been knocked out by debris. Young Phineas __Flynn was killed instantly."_

Doofenshmirtz leaped out of his seat when he felt something touch his elbow. It was then Perry got a good look at his face. His eyes were red and puffy, and he could tell the doctor hadn't even tried to wipe the tears away. His shirt was soaked as a matter of fact... had he been sitting here watching the same video over and over all night?

"O-Oh, Perry the Platypus, I- I'm sorry you had to see me like this." He said, turning away and quickly wiping his face with the sleeve of his lab coat. "I-I don't have anything today, b-but maybe.. maybe I can..." Suddenly Doofenshmirtz collapse in his chair again.

"Oh, Perry the Platypus do you have any idea how I feel! It's unimaginable!" He wailed. Perry got a little miffed at this. How he feels? How _he_ feels! Perry stomped towards the doctor, gaining his attention, and pulling out a photo from his hat. He jerked a finger towards one of the two boys in the photo and chattered angrily. Doofenshmirtz looked at the two boys holding a teal platypus, rather confused, until he finally got it. His face contorted and his eyes welled up as he wailed again.

"Gah, he's your owner, you're part of his family too, now I feel even worse!" Doof said, throwing himself back, causing the chair to topple over backwards. Perry didn't understand. Doofenshmirtz had planned to eliminate plenty of people before, and had. Not through death he supposed, but they were teleported away, and who knows where they'd ended up... What exactly made this any different for him? He cautiously approached the suddenly still doctor, looking down over him with a worried expression. His face was contorted with misery and his arm lay over his eyes.

"Even you- Perry the platypus... Even you were there when I couldn't be- and now it's too late." He whimpered with renewed sadness. Perry raised his eyebrows. What? What was he talking about? Doof saw his confused expression, and scrunched his face up again and wailed in misery.

"Oh don't you understand Perry the Platypus, I killed my own son!"


End file.
